Skruff Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 If anything it shows what they could be capable of in a league game. Must be uplifting for their confidence. Confidence is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Until we start chalking points onto the board there has to be an element of concern. Reading look doomed, I still think QPR will go on a run as Will Wigan . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8pints Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Until we start chalking points onto the board there has to be an element of concern. Reading look doomed, I still think QPR will go on a run as Will Wigan . Yeah, I know what you mean, not to say I won't remain optimistic, but there'll be a real sense of taking each game as it comes for a good while now, with each result being exaggerated until we get clear of any trouble (There's my optimism ) Almost like wading through treacle. To be fair, the sense of 'Taking each game as it comes and attempting to improve slowly, game by game', is the mantra Lambert's stating, we, as fans, just have to keep faith. We haven't conceded more than one goal since the Man City game, which is five games ago and a good sign. Over the course of the season we do look like a team that is improving, one step at a time. It'll only be in a few months whether we can tell if around the time of this unbeaten run, we were cementing or plateauing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 As a team we are improving and on an individual player level ie. baker, Lowton, Westwood, Weimann and Benteke they all get better by the game. That said I'm sure the Southamptons of this world are saying the same sort of thing about their squad ? What we need is goals and wins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 We haven't conceded more than one goal since the Man City game, which is five games ago and a good sign.We are doing a lot better defensively but in the four league games since Man C, we have had only 23 shots on goal - an average of around 6 per game or a shot on target every 15 minutes. It's not as if we've played the form sides either (Stoke excepted). Liverpool will be a big test. Their defence is vulnerable and we need to take the momentum from Tuesday's game into that match and give it a real go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 You only have to look at the results and performances after the cup games, after beating Tranmere 3-0, we went onto put in a very solid display at St. James Park and get a 1-1 draw, may have even deserved all 3. Next, after beating City 4-2 at the Ethiad, we fought out a 1-1 draw against The Baggies at home, another game we arguably could have won. After beating Swindon 3-2, we went onto beat Sunderland and pick up our first away win of the season. Despite Liverpool being in good form, I think we will give the pool a really tough game this weekend. That being said, I think the finality of a cup game, as in at the end of the night you know if you're in or out, means players take more risks in a cup game. I heard we were shaky at the back the last night leaving Norwich in for multiple chances and forcing Given into saves, while in the league we have been relatively solid at the back as of late, and the fact that you are rewarded with a point for a draw means solid yet uninspiring performances are valuable in a league as tight as The Premier League. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 When you look at recent clean sheets you also have to factor in te shite we've played Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 13, 2012 Moderator Share Posted December 13, 2012 When you look at recent clean sheets you also have to factor in te shite we've played What like Arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 And QPR Reading & Stoke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted December 13, 2012 Moderator Share Posted December 13, 2012 Not entirely sure what the point of this thread is any more. It seems as though we pretty much all agree on most of the things being discussed. We agree that we need to pick up more points and score more goals. We agree that we are improving on the pitch and have improved defensively. The only thing that seems to differ is where our focus as fans currently lies. It appears as though I can agree on all of the above while being content that because it is December there is time to improve our league position and am confident we will whereas others who also agree on the above are more nervous about the mid-season league position. But essentially, other than them being of what is IMHO a prematurely nervous disposition, we don't really differ much in what we are seeing and what we want to see going forward. That's how it looks to me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 You could lock the thread but I suspect come 5pm Saturday it would need re-opening ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted December 13, 2012 Moderator Share Posted December 13, 2012 You could lock the thread but I suspect come 5pm Saturday it would need re-opening ? I'd never suggest locking a thread. I'm just wondering if pointing out the circles everyone is going in might make the conversation evolve a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Ask our last Irish manager whether a cup run helped him turn things around at VP or have you forgotten ? DOL's first season, we were also in the relegation zone under his management however we kept going in the Cup, actually beat Chelsea in Quarter Final and it gave us a lift, where did we finish that season? I'm not saying the same will happen this time, but as proven before cup form especially the boost of being in the Semi-Final gives the whole squad a major lift. But Morpheus, even if we say 'white' you'll say 'black'. He's like, such a non-conformist, man. Ok second example, Birmingham. Lexicon, it's just my opinion and nothing more than that. A cup run can only be positive. I mentioned nothing about positivity. I said form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBM Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 we will no doubt rise up the table like wba will drop down the table we may even cross paths or is that being too optimistic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBM Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 who is our clubs leading league goal scorer at the moment? because looking here... http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/scorers/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league?cc=5739# we dont even appear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.I.C.O. Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Benteke has 4 in the league and 2 in the cups I believe. A grand total of 6 goals.....not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I thought I read Benteke has 10 goals? Is that including Belgium ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.I.C.O. Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Reading are going down. QPR are too far behind too, if they were going to stay up they would have won one of their last two games which they must have viewed as must wins. Because they didnt win either of those (against us and Wigan), I dont think they'll invest in january as they wont want to go down with a massive wage liability- if anything they might even cut some existing players loose. So that leaves one spot. There is just no way that we are the worst team of those left. Wigan, Sunderland, Southampton and even Norwich imho are all going to finish below us. Relax and enjoy our improvement. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Benteke has 4 in the league and 2 in the cups I believe. A grand total of 6 goals.....not good. A young player, new to the league has an average of about 1 in 3 and is improving all the time is not something to be concerned about. He's been threatening more and more with goals and assists. Relax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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